Village Abuzz Over Sighting of 'Mawas'

JELEBU-- A day into the new millennium, villagers of Kampung Chennah, 28km from here, don't seem to be too enthusiastic about the happenings around the world.

They are engrossed instead in talking about a recent claim of a sighting of the elusive mawas (a big ape-like animal).

The town is abuzz with the news that the local "Bigfoot" was sighted by villager Liong Chong Shen, who claims that he saw a couple of mawas when he was at his rubber smallholding and durian orchard a week ago.

Kampung Chennah is a small and remote town of 30 households where most of the villagers are smallholders.

Liong, 50, claimed that the incident occurred about noon when he was working in the orchard.

"Wild boars had been attacking my durian saplings in the orchard, located about 11km from Kampung Chennah. I went there to chase them away," he said yesterday.

Liong said he was busy with the durian saplings when he suddenly sensed a strong animal scent.

"I then heard a grunt near the young rubber trees.

"My heart started pounding fast when I saw two mawas standing near the rubber trees as I feared they would attack me," he said.

"I was about 10m away from the two mawas and I had a clear view of them," he added.

Liong said one was about 1.83m tall with long, black and shiny hair all over its body, including the face.

The other was shorter, about 1.52m tall with long and brownish hair all over its body.

He said the two just stared at him and later walked away into the jungle.